Wrigley Unwraps Online Push for Juicy Fruit

Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co. for the first time is using product wrappers to push consumers online to participate in its biggest summer push for Juicy Fruit gum.

Called "Find the 'Gotta Have Sweet Spot' and Win," the promotion features specially marked packages that tout an instant-win game for a host of prizes. Consumers who do not win on the spot can enter the password found on the wrapper to try online at juicyfruit.com.

"I guess what we're trying to do is really integrate our brand message in all of the media components we're using, but also intersect with the core target group in the places that they go, and online is a key area for kids, teens and young adults," said Rory Finlay, senior marketing director at Wrigley, Chicago.

Once on juicyfruit.com, consumers also can play a scavenger-hunt game. Visitors can download prizes by locating the "sweet spot" on participating Web sites.

Juicyfruit.com also boasts an animated character to help users find the "sweet spots." Created in the gum's yellow and red colors, the character appears at every point in the scavenger-hunt game. Consumers can e-mail the game to friends.

"What we have is an opportunity to extend this brand into the digital space in a manner that can help build and expose the brand to its target audience while utilizing the packaging and digital media together to directly impact sales," said Drew Ianni, CEO of @tmosphere, New York.

This is the second time Wrigley has used the Internet to propel consumers toward stores. The first time, about 20 months ago, the marketer used an online scavenger hunt for people to find clues in lieu of prizes.

Running through mid-September, this summer's push for Juicy Fruit also uses television, radio and print advertising, aiming to drive consumers to the gum brand's site.

"So actually it's coming out of this Internet idea that we've now expanded this opportunity to touch all parts of our marketing plan," Finlay said.